2024-10-24
What about systems with elements of both autocracy and democracy?
Special administrative region since 1984
Economically polarized, free, but under Chinese authority
Important for Chinese economy, but also in tension with governing structure
Chief executive elected by elites
Legislative branch is a mix of elites and popularly elected seats
Pro-regime faction vs. Pan-Democrats. Both sides use protest as a means to impose costs on others.
2003 security legislation
2006/2007 opposition to pier developments
2009 railway demonstrations
2012 Student’s protest
2013 TV licensure protests
Student sit-in protesting the demolition of Star Ferry pier
Each round of events leads to new organizations, media outlets, and noted activists entering the scene
Student walk-out (September 22, 2014)
Activists proposed an occupation of a central square in 2013, but had limited support
Event was planned for October 1 (a national holiday) but a handful of students jumped a fence in Civic Square on September 26 2014
Expanded contention
Non-violent but disruptive protests (umbrellas)
Polarization (emergence of anti-occupy protesters)
February 2019: Chinese government proposes an extradition bill that would cover Hong Kong (as well as Macau and Taiwan)
Pan democrats attempt to filibuster, but legislative efforts are not effective
Bill suspended on June 15, but protesters demand more concessions:
protests no longer be described as “riots”
amnesty for protesters
independent inquiry into police brutality
universal suffrage in executive elections
Non-violent tactics:
Violent/Destructive tactics:
Black bloc, fights with police/counter-protesters
Attacks on pro-mainland businesses and celebrities
Economic disruption: occupations, coordinated cash withdrawal
Both factions used private messaging apps to coordinate, share information, and make decisions
Mainland government used domestic censorship and international propaganda
Hong Kong police adopted aggressive protest policing tactics:
“less lethal” weapons: 16,000 rounds of tear gas in from June to December vs. 87 rounds in the entire 2014 occupation
kettling
tolerating violence from counter protesters
Counter protesters engaged in heated - often violent confrontations - with five demands protesters
The Yuen Long attack, believed to have been conducted by local villagers and gangs of triad (criminal secret society) members, shocked Hong Kong and led to a widespread believe [sic] that the Police were in collusion with triads. This event turned a substantial number of the passive Hong Kong population against the Police, and many people started to label the Police as ‘haak ging’ (黑警), or ‘black police’ - former Hong Kong police officer (source)
2020 bill criminalizes a wider range of dissent under prohibitions on “secession”, “subversion” or “terrorism”.
Allows Hong Kong residents to be extradited to mainland China for some crimes
Beijing appointed advisor to oversee a Hong Kong security force
Five Demands remain popular in polls, and National Security law is unpopular, but not clear this matters
Democracies and autocracies have different legitimization strategies. How do these work in a hybrid state?